"The Witch" - Many people complained that his movie was "too slow" and that "nothing happens" and some even said "It's not really a horror movie."  They would be wrong.  It was billed as a "New England Folk Tale," but it is most definitely a horror film.  I loved the sense of isolation, dread and paranoia that builds slowly throughout the entire film, and, for once, I was impressed by the performances of child actors.  The attention to detail for the period is amazing as well. Definitely one of the creepiest films I've seen in a long time, and I love the fact that, as it turns out, the "evil" in the film was most decidedly real.

"Train to Busan" - I had no idea I needed to see yet another zombie movie until I saw this one.  If most other zombie films handled the genre as deftly as this one does, they would all go up a notch in quality.  The film does an excellent job of balancing the violent zombie action with character driven drama and in the end, it's really just the story of a father trying to connect with his daugher.....and incidentally, trying to protect her from an undead horde.  Last I heard, there is going to be the obligatory American remake.  It's probably something I can do without.

"Baskin" - Holy shit!  My podcast co-host pushed me to finally watch this film and I am so glad I did.  This Turkish film drags us on a journey into hell along with a group of police officers.  Once there, we're treated to a series of surreal, violent and bloody set pieces that almost made my break split in half.  The main "villain" of the story is awesome and, I don't want to give anything away, but it turns out that his "look" in the film is real!  So help me, he actually looks like that!  Honestly though, this is a gory treat that will satisfy gorehounds but will also make horror fans happy with a good story.  "Baskin" is a must see!

"Don't Breathe" - OK, OK.  I know that Fede Alvarez's thriller is not what people usually consider a "horror" film and I know it has its detractors, but I liked it. Despite its flaws, of which there are a few, I genuinely liked it.  I am Stephen Lang fan, so that could be a big part of that, but mainly I enjoyed seeing three basically unlikeable people get tormented for 90 minutes.  Yes, there are some plot inconsistencies that will drive some people crazy, but overall, I had a fun time at the movies with this one.  There are some genuinely tense moments, and one of the better "total darkness" scenes that I've watched in a while.

I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like "The Eyes of My Mother".  My favorite horror films are the ones that get under my skin and stay there, and this is definitely one of them.  The fact that i's shot in haunting black and white gives it that much more of an impact.  Without giving too much away, I will say that basically we're witnessing a realistic (I think) and grim birth of a serial killer.  The truly horrifying thing is that it's presented in a very sympathetic way. It bothered me a bit that I sympathized so much with the main character, despite the graphic violence.  I think that is the true power of this film.  Director D. Nicolas Pesce is one to watch.  I just hope that after this stunning debut, his future films are not judged too harshly.

"10 Cloverfield Lane" - Again, not really a "horror" film per-se, but I had to include it because I really liked it.  I just wish the studio hadn't forced a tie in with "Cloverfield" that doesn't really make sense.  This film was originally called "The Cellar" and I wish it had stayed that way.  I also wasn't thrilled with the theatrical ending.  If you're curious, once you've seen the film, look up the description of the original ending and I think you'll see what I mean.  Other than that, I truly enjoyed this film, and John Goodman's performance is a revelation.  I have always felt that he is highly underrated as an actor. He creates some moments in this film that were so tense I could barely take it.  Ugh, again, that ending.......Still an very enjoyable film though.

I admit it.  I'm a fan of anthology horror films. They're hard to pull off because the individual segments can be (and usually are) uneven in quality, but "Southbound" is one of the better horror anthologies I've seen in a long time.  It manages to stay consistent in it's tone, through the 5 separate tails tied together in a circular fashion through a radio DJ (Larry Fessenden).  There are some good scares and some funny moments as well, along with a good mixture of genres in the individual stories (creature, religious cult, medical horror and others).  The performances and even the score are excellent as well.  Check it out!

"Hush" could easily have been just another "cat and mouse" type home invasion thriller, but is it most definitely not.  Let's face it, I've never seen one that featured a deaf protagonist, have you?  Maddie is a deaf author leading a reclusive life in a home in the woods.  A killer begins stalking Maddie, and the story that follows is tense, creepy and unsettling, and does not go down the path you might expect it to. I found the idea that sound had been removed as a factor in the story allowed the film to avoid most of the traps and cliches that films like this tend to fall into.

"They Look Like People" has a very simple, yet intriguing premise.  Creatures are slowly taking over the world by gaining control of the human race.  How?  They look just like humans, reminiscent of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", only with more convincing "replacements".  Here's the catch though....is this invasion really happening, or is it all in the mind of the main character?  Star Macleod Andrews does an excellent job projecting the fear and paranoia that would be associated with such a premise.  This was one of the most fun, interesting films I've seen in 2016.

"The Autopsy of Jane Doe" is one of the most unsettling horror films I've seen in a long time, and one with a very original plot, unlike anything I've seen, yet with some elements that seemed familiar.  I can't really explain it.  All I will say is that if you're a horror fan, you MUST see this film.  A small town coroner and his son conduct an autopsy on an unidentified woman. whose body was discovered at a crime scene where a violent murder has occurred.  As they perform the autopsy, they begin to discover that this is no ordinary corpse, and they experience a series of bizarre, supernatural events.  I won't give away anything more.  Just see the damn movie!!

On December 7th and 8th 2016 I had the pleasure of attending the Northeast Film Festival Horror Fest, held at the Teaneck Cinemas in Teaneck, NJ.   The NEFFHF is an extension if you will of the Northeast Film Festival, which is held at the same location in the Summer.  I also attended that event this year.  Festival director Larry Rosen, who is also a filmmaker and actor, does an excellent job of putting this festival together.  On a more mundane level, ordering my ticket online was a snap and getting my pass at the theater was also a breeze.  I love the easy going nature of the festival, which is apparent as soon as you get there, given that Larry is such a friendly, easy going guy.  He's approachable and easy to talk to, and it's clear that he loves what he's doing, but more on that later.

Teaneck Cinemas is a small, local theater that that serves and an excellent venue.  It truly is a movie going experience, with all the movie snacks you might enjoy, and it's great to see independent films being shown on a big, true "movie theater" screen, which is not often the case at local film festivals.  Several of the filmmakers and actors/actresses in attendance mentioned to me how cool it was to see their work up on an actual big screen, and I shared their enthusiasm for this touch.  Again, well done on Larry's part for finding the location.

Films are screened in blocks throughout the evening, starting at 6:00PM and divided into two hour blocks.  Each block might consist of a feature and a short film or two, or anywhere from 5-6 short films.  Tickets are available for each block, or you can purchase an all-day pass, or an all access pass which covers the entire two-days of films, plus the awards ceremony and the after party that takes place at the end of the second day.

After each block of films, any filmmakers, actors or crew members who were involved in any of the films are invited down to the front of the theater to take questions from the audience.  This is always a highligh of any film festival for me.  I love hearing people talk about their work, and I always try to come up with a good question or two, as I am genuinely fascinated with the filmmaking process, and I always want to learn more.

There is also a great red carpet room, where festival attendees, filmmakers and guests can have their photos taken, either by the professional event photographer or with their own camera.  Red carpet hostess, the lovely Bethany Nicole Taylor, was conducting interviews with the filmmakers and guests.  All of this is a very nice touch, and it definitely added a level of glamour and excitement to the evening.  Who doesn't like to have their picture taken on a red carpet? I mean, I realize I am a photo whore......but still.....

In any case, it was a lot of fun to take pictures and to mix and mingle with the filmmakers, actors and actresses who were there.

There were a total of 22 films accepted into the festival this time around, and I had a chance to see almost all of them.  There was such a wide array of excellent films shown.  It's undeniable that the indie film world is alive and well.  This is why I get so annoyed when people complain that "there are no good movies to watch."  BULLSHIT!  You have to seek them out!  Go to a film festival and see what you've been missing!

On the first night, I saw a great short film called "Gemma", which is the story of one young girl telling a bedtime story to her twin sister, with a very clever sci-fi type twist, that turned out to be very touching.  I had a chance to meet the filmmakers and the girls that starred in the movie, and the were a pleasure.

Also on the first night I saw a great feature film called "Bad Frank", directed by Tony Germinario (a NJ native) and starring Tom Sizemore as a sleazy crime boss, and another NJ native, Kevin Interdonato.  Kevin turns in an excellent performance as Frank, a guy with a sketchy past who is trying to stay on the straight and narrow, but people and events from his past keep trying to pull him back into a world of violence and trouble.  Kevin won a well deserved Best Actor award at the festival for his performance and I can honestly say he definitely earned it.  I plan to write up a comprehensive review of the film separately.  Again, people who skip these festivals really are missing out.  Not only was the film excellent, but I had a chance to meet with and speak to both Kevin and Tony after the film, which was a treat.  I look forward to following the film, as I am sure it's going to be a hit everywhere.  The film also featured yet another New Jersey guy, Brian O'Halloran, whom I am sure everyone will remember from Kevin Smiths "Clerks".  The remainder of the cast, including Amanda Clayton as Franks wife and Lynn Mancinelli as the daugher of Sizemore's character is excellent as well. 

Click on the image below to go to the Bad Frank IMDB page

 There were so many great films shown over the course of two days that I cannot possibly write about them all, so I will mention a few of my personal favorites.  (Note: If I do not mention a particular film, it means NOTHING!  All of the films were good in their own way.  I just happened to particularly enjoy certain ones.)

"Wraith", written and directed by Daniel James, produced by Sam Borowski and starring Gregg Prosser and Melissa Archer is an excellent little ghost story, and I am a sucker for a good ghost story.  Gregg and Melissa turn in great performances, and Daniels directing is top notch.  The camera work in this film is particularly well done, which I made sure to mention BOTH times I've seen this film.  I've also been lucky enough to meet Daniel, Gregg and Sam on more than one occasion to speak to them about the film, and about filmmaking in general.

"The Catalyst", from filmmaker Alan Fine, is another cool ghost/possession story which I really liked.  Again, I have to mention how indie filmmakers are really stepping up their game, and this is a prime example.  Well shot, well acted, and well directed, with some very cool special effects.   According to Alan, this short is a "proof of concept" film, and the goal is to secure funding to develop a feature.  I am looking forward to the day I can see that!

"Let's Play Dead Girl" was an interesting short film, directed by Christian A Moran, and based on the "Slenderman" events that occurred in Wisconsin.  In this film, two girls create a fictional, on-line character called "Alto", who they hope to bring to life through an act of terrible violence.  Another example of the great work that's happening in the indie horror world.

"The Cabinet in the Woods" is definitely one of the most "different" indie horror films I've seen in a long time, and I mean that in the best possible way!  It concerns a witch, and some of her victims, and what she does to them..........well, I am not going to say, but you just need to see it to believe it.  Andrew Schwarz won Best Director at the festival for this film, and it was easy to see why!  A very clever film with a great story, great cinematography and great performances.  I had the good fortune to be able to discuss the film, and filmmaking in general, at length with Andrew and I am definitely a fan!

My last two mentions are "Evil Rising" and "Megrim".  "Evil Rising" is another "possession" type short film written by and starring Brandi Alyssa Young and directed by Savion Smith.  Brandi's reaction and exuberance when she won Best Actress at the festival was one of the highlights of the entire event.  She is adorable!   "Megrim" (directed by Stuart Valberg) concerns an artist and a subject, only the artist does not have the best of intentions when it comes to his subject!  The dialogue between the two, and the gleefully malevolent performance by Pascal Yen-Pfister as the artist made this short film one my absolute favorites.

The climax of the second night of screenings was the awards ceremony, where awards were handed out in the usual categories.  All of the awards were well deserved, and I enjoy seeing talented filmmakers and performers being recognized for their work.

The two day event ended with a great after party at a local restaurant.  The festival attendees had a chance to mix and mingle with many of the filmmakers and performers and it was great opportunity to network.  I made a lot of great new friends and a lot of new contacts in the indie filmmaking world.  I am looking forward to working with many of them in the future.  I also won't hold it against Sam Borowski for taking candy from a little kid....after all, he actually did ask!

Overall, it was a great two nights.  Events like this are why I love being involved in the indie film world.  So many great movies and so many great people.  Cheers to Larry Rosen for putting on a great evnt and cheers to everone who was there.  I look forward to doing it again next year!  For more information on the Northest Film Festival Horror Fest, just click on the link!!